The reason you can't buy things on Yom tov/ Shabbat is because of the fear of writing a receipt. If you wait in line for the "free gift" and are then asked to sign something, or give your name then you will be too embarrassed to refuse the free drink. Asking the non-Jew to write your name for you, so that you can get the drink, isn't allowed either.

I don't see how the drink being "free" removes the fence of doing business on Shabbat.

I'm sure there are other issues with just being in that store on Shabbat/ Yom Tov regardless of if you are purchasing anything or not.

Can you elaborate on some of those "other issues"? Thanks
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yydlJun 12 '11 at 2:03

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1. It's not in the spirit of Shabbat / YomTov 2. It gives the impression that Jews are just looking for free things, and will break laws / find loopholes for trivial cheap stuff. I.e., it denigrates the laws in general. 3. There is Marit Ayin as Monica wrote bellow. 4. Regardless of if they are giving out free things, it takes away from the holiness of the day. I.e. There are better places you could be spending your time
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aviJun 12 '11 at 6:46

Welcome to Judaism.SE, and thanks very much for contributing these ideas, and particularly the personal transmission from R' Belsky. Could you possibly expand a bit on what he said?
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Isaac MosesJun 13 '11 at 13:59

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One Shavuos I took the bus to yeshiva and after I went to ask Rabbi Belsky if I could carry my metrocard home by using it as a bookmark in my machzor. (I was actually going to use it to mark the place for kiddush, so it was a real use.) He told me that the card is shava kessef and is muktza just machmas gufo so I couldn't. I asked him if that applies to coupons and he said "same din."
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YitzchakJun 14 '11 at 3:23